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Division of Small Business

Delaware’s Recovery



COVID-19 Guidance

This page has been archived, and the information contained within it is no longer relevant. For current guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit this website.

 

Three types of guidance

 

General Guidance

This is guidance that applies to individuals regardless of where they are going and businesses regardless of what industry they are in.

Industry-Specific Guidance

This is guidance that applies to businesses within particular industries. It should be followed closely by all relevant businesses and customers at those businesses.

Individual Business Guidance

Guidance specific businesses may need on a case-by-case basis is not covered below. Contact the Division of Small Business directly for assistance. 

 

General Guidance

 

This guidance applies to all individuals and businesses. Strict social distancing must be observed, and great care must still be paid to limit the spread of the virus in order to prevent future outbreaks. Infection rates, while slowing, remain high.

 

If your business’s industry is not named in the industry-specific guidance or the list of businesses not permitted to open, it may open under these general guidelines.

 

  • Wear a cloth face covering in accordance with the State of Emergency Order.
  • Individuals should wash their hands as frequently as possible and must stay home when sick.
  • At all times, individuals who are not part of a household are encouraged to maximize physical distance from others and are expected to remain six (6) feet apart.
  • In the interest of preserving public health, leisure travel should be avoided, but may resume as long as this general guidance is strictly adhered to by all commercial lodging.
  • ALL VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS are strongly advised to continue to shelter in place. Members of households with vulnerable residents should be aware that by returning to work or other environments where distancing is not practical, they could carry the virus back home. Precautions should be taken to isolate from vulnerable residents.
  • Employees and customers have a responsibility to self-quarantine if they have a reason to expect that they may be ill with or may have come into contact with COVID-19. Employees who are symptomatic must not physically return to work until cleared by a medical professional.
  • Employers are encouraged to continue teleworking. Employees who have been working from home throughout this crisis should continue working from home unless there is a substantive change to business operations in Phase 2 (e.g. a business was closed, but now it’s open).
  • Employers must enforce strict social distancing protocols.
  • All surfaces touched by customers, including doors, restrooms, and point of sale infrastructure must be disinfected using an EPA-approved disinfectant every 15 minutes to 2 hours.
  • Hand sanitizer must be used by employees at frequent intervals during any service, appointment or scheduled event, including at a minimum after contact with surfaces touched by others, after incidental contact with a patron or visitor, and before preparing or distributing food or drink.
  • Employees must social distance from each other while working. This can be accomplished through spacing or moving workstations, staggering shifts or other means.
  • Businesses must make hand sanitizer or handwashing stations readily available for all employees, patrons, and visitors throughout the business’ location, including at each entry and exit at a minimum. Hand sanitizer must be composed of at least sixty percent (60%) ethanol or seventy percent (70%) isopropanol.
  • Employers must post signs on how to stop the spread of COVID-19, hand hygiene, and how to properly wear a cloth face covering. Download signs: de.gov/bizsigns
  • Businesses are responsible for following the Responsibilities for all Businesses, which is set forth in the State of Emergency Order.

 

Industry-Specific Guidance

 

 

The following is guidance for certain areas of the Delaware economy where risk of transmission may be high due to number of people, distance or other factors. Broadly, this refers to areas like public entertainment, dining, retail, personal care services, and other consumer facing segments. Governor Carney appointed several Sector Captains to work with both industry leaders and public health officials to develop this specific guidance. If a business is unsure if it falls into one of these industries, it should send an email to covid19faq@delaware.gov. The Division of Small Business shall have the discretion to make additions, amendments, clarifications, exceptions, and exclusions to this Phase 2 Reopening Plan.

 

Click one or more buttons below. Scroll down to see guidance for the selected industry or industries. 

 

Food and Drink

The following guidance is for providers of food or drink, such as restaurants, breweries, taverns, and taprooms that provide table service, in addition to the general guidance that applies to all businesses:

  • Staff and customers must wear a cloth face covering in accordance with the State of Emergency Order at all times, except for customers seated at a table to eat or drink, who may remove the cloth face covering while seated at the table in order to do so.
  • Tables and booths must be arranged in a way that ensures seated customers at one table are at least six feet apart from seated customers at another table. For booths, this typically will mean seating customers at every other booth. For freestanding tables (with pull out chairs), there should be eight feet apart to ensure that a seated guest is six feet from seated guests at other tables. Inside and outside seating must both comply with these standards. Tables must be disinfected in between each party.
  • Tables and booths may be spaced more closely if appropriate barriers are used. Barriers must be at least six (6) feet in height and start no more than two (2) feet from the floor. They must be wide enough to provide coverage for people seated at the table. They may be installed for this purpose, but walls, booths, etc., that meet the size requirements are also acceptable.
  • Guests must all have seats, be seated, and remain seated unless going to the restroom or participating in an approved bar game activity. Orders should be placed from a table and received at a table unless an alternative exists that ensures guests who are not of the same household are socially distanced at all times while placing and receiving an order.

For food and drink establishments that provide table service: Customers must have a reservation unless the establishment has a system for ensuring that customers without a reservation do not gather while waiting to be seated. Takeout can still continue under pre- Phase 1 guidelines, but should be done without those ordering entering the dining facility when picking up order.

For food and drink establishment that do not provide table service: Counter service locations must be spaced 6 feet apart. Signage and floor markings must be present to guide patrons in appropriately spacing while in line. Staff must be designated to monitor patrons entering facility, monitor lines and ensure social distancing throughout facility.

  • The total number of guests within a facility shall at no time exceed 50% of fire occupancy requirements.
    • Facilities that cannot reach at least fifty percent (50%) of fire code occupancy (excluding staff) while complying with safety requirements may submit an alternative plan for COVID-safe dining to the Division of Public Health. Plans may not be implemented until approved by DPH.
    • Facilities must post a sign in a prominent location or otherwise notify patrons that they may leave their contact information to enable the DPH to contact the patron if another patron or an employee tests positive for COVID-19. They may not use the information for any other purpose. Facilities must retain the information for 28 days. They need not deny service to patrons who do not provide contact information for this purpose.
  • Guests should be provided with single use, paper, disposable menus. All condiments (salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, mayo, sugar, etc.) must be provided directly to diners in single-use disposable containers or re-usable containers that are cleaned between each party.
  • Cups, lids, napkins, and straws must be delivered to the table after the party has been seated.
  • Proper precautions must be taken when handling ready-to-eat foods. Variances or other allowances for bare hand contact are void until these restrictions are lifted.
  • Self-service food and buffet options may only reopen if the facility assigns dedicated staff to distribute food, and any customers at buffet are socially distanced from others who are not of the same household. No customer at any time should touch serving utensils, and staff members should be dedicated to a particular serving utensil or utensils so that multiple staff are not touching the same utensils.
  • Self-service beverage may be reopened for use by customers, but should be disinfected every 15 minutes to 2 hours by staff.
  • Bar service and seating at a bar may reopen as long as proper social distancing is observed between those not of the same household.
  • Any to-go containers for food guests bring home after dining must be protected from possible contamination.
  • Every restaurant is expected to have its own reopening plan and must follow DPH guidance.
  • Customers should be guided to seats by staff to control traffic in, out, and through restaurant to ensure that safe social distancing is maintained as much as possible. If guiding to a table is not practical or safe, restaurant should provide clear signage and instructions to control the flow of traffic through the facility.
  • Dance floors and similar spaces where social distancing is not practical may not reopen.
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Retail

The following guidance is for businesses primarily engaged in retail services with the general public. This includes, but is not limited to, grocery, pharmacies, clothing, shoe, jewelry, sporting goods, books, florists, and department stores. In addition to the general guidance, the industry specific guidance for this sector falls into two categories:

  • Guidance for interactions between employees and other employees or vendors, and
  • Guidance for interactions between employees and

Employees

  • Close common areas, such as break rooms and cafeterias.
  • Prohibit gatherings or meetings above the indoor gathering limits during work hours. Employees should be permitted to take breaks or lunch outside, in their office or personal workspace, or other areas where proper social distancing is possible.
  • Restrict interactions between employees and outside visitors or delivery drivers; implement touchless receiving practices if possible.
  • Adjust training/onboarding practices to limit number of people involved and allow appropriate spacing. The use of video and audio training is encouraged.
  • Discourage the use of shared phones, desks, workstations, radios, wearable technology. If these are unavoidable, they must be cleaned after each use.
  • Install physical barriers, such as sneeze guards and partitions, and change layout of workspaces to ensure all individuals remain at least 6 feet apart

Customer Control

  • The total number of customers within a facility shall at no time exceed 50% of their fire occupancy requirements. The responsibility of strictly enforcing this lies with the store owner/manager.
  • Signage required at entrances and high traffic areas alerting staff and customers of occupancy limits, physical distancing requirements, and face covering order.
  • Retailers, especially essential businesses, are encouraged to establish specific hours for high-risk populations.
  • Mark six feet of spacing in check-out lines. Ensure six feet of space between cashiers.
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Personal Services

The following personal care services (hair salons, barber shops, tattoo services, massage therapy services, nail salons, spas, facials, waxing services, brow services, and similar) may resume business under the following conditions, in addition to the general guidance:

  • Stations should only be open on a staggered basis – every other station can operate at any time with a customer. There must be at least six feet of distance in all directions between the station and other stations (this may at times require the closing of more than one station).
  • The total number of customers within a facility shall at no time exceed 50% of fire occupancy requirements. The responsibility of strictly enforcing this lies with the store owner/manager.
  • Services must be provided by appointment only and appointments must be scheduled with a minimum of fifteen (15) minutes between appointments for proper cleaning.
  • Entrance doors must include signage that walk-ins are not permitted. Customers waiting for appointments must wait in their car or outside the store.
  • Limited contact during check-ins and payment is strongly recommended: Limit cash transactions, encourage customers to use credit, debit, or other contact-less forms of payment. Cash registers and pin pads must be sanitized after each use.
  • Proper safety procedures and cloth face coverings must be used by staff and customers at all times as set forth in the State of Emergency Orders.
  • If a service requires a customer to remove their face covering (e.g., facials) the service provider must wear a face shield AND a face covering until such time as the customer is able to put their face covering on again or the service is complete, AND 6 foot social distancing can be maintained.
  • Social distancing requirements of 6 feet should be maintained when feasible. Magazines or other materials may not be provided by the salon or shared among customers.
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Exercise Facilities

This guidance is for gyms and similar establishments (including those that must submit reopening plans) that may resume business under the following conditions. In addition to the general guidance, they must follow:

  • Group exercise classes are limited to a maximum of fifteen (15) individuals (excluding staff). Facilities hosting multiple group exercise classes at the same time must allow for a minimum of twenty (20) feet between classes. All individuals must wear face coverings and individuals who are not part of the same household must remain at least thirteen (13) feet apart during classes and are encouraged to maintain greater physical distance whenever possible. Staff must be onsite to monitor patrons entering the facility, to ensure social distancing throughout the facility, and to ensure the use of face coverings in compliance with this order.
  • The total number of customers within a facility shall at no time exceed 50% of fire occupancy requirements. The responsibility of strictly enforcing this lies with the store owner/manager.
  • Customers and staff must wear cloth face coverings in accordance with the State of Emergency Orders. Face coverings are required at all times while indoors at an exercise facility. Face coverings are not required at outdoor exercise facilities when engaged in vigorous physical activity.
  • Limited contact during check-ins and payment is strongly recommended: Limit cash transactions, encourage customers to use credit, debit, or other contact-less forms of payment. Cash registers and pin pads must be sanitized after each use.
  • Stagger or spread exercise equipment to maintain a distance of at least six feet.
  • All participants in an exercise class must remain at least thirteen (13) feet apart at all times, and   all appropriate gathering limits must be observed. Class area, including floor and any shared equipment, must be cleaned prior to next class entering space. Swim lessons   and swim team gatherings may resume if they can do so while maintaining social distance, with the exception of life-saving activities, and comply with lap swimming guidance. Shared equipment must be disinfected after each use. Aquatic exercise classes are permitted as long as proper social distancing is practiced and shared equipment is disinfected after each use. Pools must operate in accordance with the Delaware Division of Public Health (“DPH”) guidance regarding COVID-19 pool operations found at de.gov/poolguidance.
  • Customers should bring their own workout/yoga mats. If gym provides a shared mat, weights, bands, balls, or other workout equipment, they cannot be used by another customer until they have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Use of this shared equipment is discouraged.
  • Employees must regularly clean all equipment, and customers must wipe down equipment after each use. This includes free weights.
  • Customers should bring their own drinks. Water bottle refill stations can be used, but must be cleaned regularly by staff. Use of shared water fountains is discouraged.
  • Showers/locker rooms must be cleaned and disinfected at the beginning or end of service day, and at least once in the middle of the open hours. Customers should bring their own towels.
  • Facilities that have historically functioned more as indoor or outdoor sporting venues (large collections of fields, courts, etc.) may open only under these guidelines. At no time may participants in any fitness activity come into contact with one another.
  • On-site child care is permitted only for children of employees. Facility employees must remain on-site while their children are using the program.
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Commercial Lodging and Campgrounds

Commercial lodging includes any facility where a customer may book an overnight stay or longer stay for a variety of purposes. This includes a hotel, a short-term rental, campground, or similar rental facility. The following is guidance for this industry beyond the general guidance:

  • The total number of guests in all common areas (lobby, food and drink, etc.) – except for exercise facilities — shall at no time exceed 50% of the establishment’s fire occupancy requirements. This does not include the number of rooms that may be booked to guests. Exercise facilities on the premise of a commercial lodging facility should follow the industry guidance for exercise facilities, including that the total number of guests shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the exercise facility’s fire occupancy requirements.
  • Short-term rental facilities do not need to follow 50% occupancy limits.
  • Any guest rooms in a commercial lodging facility should be disinfected between uses by individual guests with an EPA-approved disinfectant.
  • All common areas within a commercial lodging facility should be cleaned every 15 minutes to 2 hours using an EPA-approved disinfectant.
  • Food and drink activities on the premise of a commercial lodging facility should follow the industry guidance for food and drink establishments.
  • Spas and similar services should follow the industry guidance for personal care services. Any outdoor concessions offered at a commercial lodging facility should ensure that all individuals are socially distanced when placing or receiving a food or drink order, and any outdoor dining spaces should follow the industry guidance for food and drink establishments.
  • Campgrounds should space out tent plots and/or recreational vehicle parking spaces so that individual groups of campers maintain social distancing from other groups when within their spaces.
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Houses of Worship

Houses of Worship continue to pose public health concerns, particularly due to multiple different households convening in a congregational setting. Houses of Worship are encouraged to pay close attention to the social distancing, hygiene and face covering requirements. Remote services and drive-in service continue to be the safest avenues for worship. The following guidance applies to this industry beyond the general guidance:

  • Houses of Worship may continue operations or reopen provided, however, that the total number of guests permitted in a House of Worship at any one time shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of that House of Worship’s stated fire occupancy. For purposes of this paragraph, a funeral mass, memorial service, visitation, wake, or viewing within a House of Worship or funeral home shall be entitled to the same occupancy parameters as Houses of Worship. For the purpose of clarity, nothing in this paragraph prohibits a House of Worship: (1) from offering multiple or additional daily worship services which otherwise comply with the requirements of this Order, or (2) from the concurrent use of available outdoor space to facilitate wider attendance at worship services when such use of outdoor space is otherwise compliant with the outdoor gathering requirements set forth by this Twenty-Seventh Modification. For purposes of this paragraph, political gatherings shall be entitled to the same occupancy parameters and administrative remedies as Houses of Worship.
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Child Care

All Delaware families can access child care, starting in Phase 2, with restrictions on classroom sizes and following additional guidance from the Division of Public Health. Teleworking is strongly encouraged by DPH under Phase 2, and families are encouraged to identify alternate care for their children where possible to allow for reduced classroom sizes and social distancing.

Must follow DELACARE regulations and additional guidance from the Delaware Division of Public Health. For additional g uidance: coronavirus.delaware.gov/child-care

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Private Instruction

Private instruction covers a wide variety of classroom-based or similar instruction that is not in a traditional K-12 or post-secondary environment. This includes tutoring services, testing centers, adult education, or specific vocational training facilities (outside of traditional K-12 structures). The following guidance applies to this industry beyond the general guidance, which should also be followed:

  • The total number of learners permitted in private instruction at one time shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the facility’s fire occupancy requirements.
  • 8 ft spacing between seats at tables when people are being trained. Desks for students must be six feet apart from one another.
  • Cloth face coverings must be worn in accordance with the State of Emergency Order during all classroom instruction. Equipment should be brought by the students themselves. If it is provided by the instructor or facility, it must be disinfected between each use.

The following guidance covers personal driving schools, in specific:

  • Vehicle may contain no more than one adult and one student in front driver and passenger seats, and one additional person in the back seat.
  • All occupants must wear face coverings at all times.
  • Windows should be open as much as possible to help air exchange within the vehicle to reduce viral load.
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Summer Camp

  • Summer camps and recreational camps may reopen, with a recommended allowable group size of fifteen (15) children.
  • Any pool use during camps must comply with same guidance for Swimming Facilities as set by this Twenty-First Modification.
  • Additional requirements for summer camps and recreational camps are listed in the DPH Recreational Camps COVID-19 Guidance: de.gov/reccamp
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Parks and Recreation

Parks and recreation facilities include any public or private park and any outdoor recreational facility such as a zoo, miniature golf course, outdoor tennis facility or batting cage and other similar activities not explicitly closed by the industry guidance below. The following is guidance for this industry beyond the general guidance:

  • Remain open with modifications to ensure visitors can maintain social distancing at all times.
  • All events and gatherings held in parks and recreation facilities must comply with the gathering requirements set forth in the Twenty-first Modification to the State of Emergency. Businesses must make hand sanitizer or handwashing stations readily available for all employees and customers.
  • Businesses must properly disinfect any equipment necessary to perform the recreational activity between customers and maximize contactless payment.
  • Businesses must ensure social distancing of at least six (6) feet between waiting customers.
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Sports

  • May resume provided that all players, staff, coaches, officials and spectators maintain social distancing of six (6) feet and comply with face covering guidelines.
  • Tournaments permitted if facilities receive prior approval of a tournament-specific plan from the Department of Public Health.
  • No tournaments for or competitive football, wrestling, rugby, and hockey (ice and roller), which are considered high-risk.
  • Indoor contact sports (e.g., basketball and soccer) may not resume, unless a facility- submitted plan has been reviewed and approved by DPH.
  • Additional requirements for youth sports and adult recreational sports are found here: de.gov/playsafely
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Golf Courses

  • Specific guidance is eliminated, though courses should ensure participants are socially distanced.
  • Any food or drink establishment must follow industry guidance for food and drink establishments.
  • Pro shops must follow industry guidance for retail establishments.
  • Indoor event space must follow occupancy requirements in the Twenty-First Modification to the State of Emergency.
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Racetracks

Racetracks are any facility in the state licensed for the racing of horses, other animals, or automobiles.

  • The total number of guests permitted at a racetrack at one time shall not exceed fifty (50) percent of the racetrack’s fire occupancy requirements.
  • All race staff and any ancillary employees (camera crew, media, etc.) must be properly socially distanced at all times.
  • All operators of a racetrack racing horses or other animals must create a facility-specific plan to limit the spread of COVID-19 and must submit the plan to the Department of Agriculture seven days prior to any reopening. Plans must be reviewed and approved by the Department of Agriculture and the Division of Public Health.
  • All operators of an automobile racing facility may open for practices following this guidance. Competitive racing may also be permitted following approval of a plan submitted to the Division of Small Business via email at covid19faq@delaware.gov.
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Casinos

The following guidance applies to any establishment holding a gaming and table gaming licenses (licensees), and is in addition to the general guidance:

  • All licensees must create a facility-specific plan to limit the spread of COVID-19, and must submit the plan to State Lottery seven days prior to any reopening. Plans must be reviewed and approved by the State Lottery and the Division of Public Health. Plans should be continuously reviewed and executed to ensure the health and safety of licensee guests and employees. The State Lottery will provide updates to this policy as circumstances surrounding the health crisis evolve.
  • Such plans must cover all requirements set forth here, both in the general guidance and industry specific guidance, and must also cover any requirement adopted by State Lottery. Prior to reopening, each licensee shall clean and disinfect all of its hard and soft surfaces in accordance with the guidelines published by the CDC.
  • Each licensee must ensure employees are adequately trained on proper procedures and policies for cleaning and preventing the spread of COVID-19.
  • Each licensee must provide proper signage as required by State Lottery for both employees and guests throughout the facility.
  • The total number of customers within a facility shall at no time exceed 50% of fire occupancy requirements.
  • Any individual gaming machines must be kept at least 6 feet apart, and must be disinfected every 15 minutes to 2 hours.
  • Any gaming area (sportsbook, tables) with multiple guests needs to be arranged in a way to ensure that guests are properly socially distanced at all times.
  • Employees should be assigned to ensure guests do not congregate in groups.
  • Plans must ensure that patrons do not congregate in groups and practice proper distancing in these areas. Plans must address how the race & sportsbook, and any other gaming area will be cleaned and disinfected on a frequent basis.
  • All food and drink facilities on the premises of a licensee must follow the guidelines for the food and drink industry.
  • All lodging facilities on the premises of a licensee must follow the State of Emergency Order and restrictions on the commercial lodging industry.
  • All retail shops on the premises of a licensee must follow guidelines for the retail industry.
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Arts and Culture

The Arts and Culture industry is comprised of several different types of businesses: Performing Arts, Museums, Galleries, Libraries, Historical Attractions and Arts Education Institutions. This specific guidance for this industry goes beyond the general guidance that applies to all businesses:

Workplace Activity:

  • Adjust workplace hours and shifts (if working in-person, leverage A/B teams or staggered arrival/departure) to minimize contact across employees and reduce congestion at entry points; close contacts of infected individuals should telework until safe per DPH guidance.
  • Limit visitors and service providers on site; shipping and deliveries completed in designated areas.

Gathering/Audience Size:

  • In-person operation of this industry is allowable under strict social-distancing restrictions, increased cleaning regimen.

Physical Distancing:

  • Patrons, volunteers, and staff must wear cloth face coverings in accordance with the State of Emergency Order.
  • May offer visits without a reservation. Reservations and ticketing services should be made online/phone with no cash or paper tickets exchanged to the greatest extent possible. Install physical barriers at ticket booths, such as sneeze guards and partitions, and change layout of workspaces to reduce employees’ exposure to guests.
  • Contactless payment merchandise should be maximized; disinfect between transactions and comply with other retail recommendations.
  • Provide electronic playbills, maps, or information in place of paper. Guided tours may resume as long as tour guides are socially distanced from guests, and guests not of the same household are socially distanced from each other.
  • No-touch entry (e.g. prop doors open or assign staff or volunteer to hold doors open for patrons) should be maximized.
  • Audience queues must maintain a 6 feet distance between individual household units.
  • For indoor venues, limit up to 50% of fire occupancy requirements (excluding staff) while ensuring 6 feet radius around individual household units.
  • For fixed seating venues, only 50% of patron seating may be occupied and there must be a 6 feet radius around individual household units. Patrons must exit their seats in an orderly, row by row fashion as directed by venue staff.
  • Maintain signage and markings to remind and help individuals stand at least 6 feet apart when in common areas, walkways, or while visiting exhibits.
  • Limit the number of people in a confined area to enable adequate distancing at all times. Bag or coat checks are not permitted.
  • Shuttle services may resume as long as riders from different households are socially distanced from each other.

Food Services:

  • Food establishments within these facilities may use existing table area footprint, with tables appropriately distanced per food and drink establishment guidance.
  • Concessions selling only pre-packaged food must ensure social distancing in lines, use contactless transaction or deliver food directly to seated customers.

Locations offering research fellowships and library functions shall follow Division of Libraries guidelines. Fellows may reserve times to access facilities for research.

Arts and music instruction may resume as long as participants and instructors are socially distanced and equipment is not shared without being properly sanitized. Face coverings may be removed when it is impractical to perform the instruction without them.

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Indoor Gatherings

The following guidance is for all gatherings or events held within any business or indoor space open to the public (including, but not limited to: food and drink establishments; commercial lodging; convention centers; houses of worship; pools; senior centers; and those in parks and recreation facilities or at facilities without a stated fire code occupancy). In addition to general guidance, all gatherings must follow the following guidance:

  • Indoor gatherings or events at any business or indoor space open to the public up to the lesser of fifty percent (50%) stated fire occupancy or twenty-five (25) people (e.g. weddings and receptions, graduations, birthday parties, funeral receptions, etc.) and private indoor gatherings or events of up to ten (10) persons (e.g. dinner parties, house parties, birthday parties) are permitted under the following guidance:
    • Any business or indoor space open to the public holding a gathering or event must have a mechanism for limiting attendance, enforcing social distancing between attendees and complying with requirements relating to providing face coverings for employees and signage about the use of face coverings for guests.
    • Facilities that wish to host indoor gatherings and events at any business or indoor space open to the public of over twenty-five (25) people may apply to host a large indoor gathering or event of up to one hundred fifty (150) people by submitting a plan to HSPContact@delaware.gov at least seven (7) days prior to the anticipated event.
  • Guests at an indoor gathering who are not from the same household should always maintain proper social distancing.
  • Cloth face coverings must be worn in accordance with the State of Emergency.
  • For food and drink services at an indoor gathering, the food and drink guidance should be followed.
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Convention Centers and Meeting Facilities

  • Convention centers and meeting facilities may reopen provided they limit total number of guests in the facility to fifty percent (50%) of fire occupancy requirements and take steps to enforce social distancing of guests.
  • Seated events should be preferred whenever possible.
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Malls

The following guidance is for shopping malls. Shopping malls are a collection of stores that are all contained within a building that contains interior walkways, and common spaces between stores that consumers pass through as they move from store to store. This does not include facilities that have a collection of stores but have no interior common area. Those strip malls should advise stores to follow individual guidance that may apply to their individual store. In addition to the general guidance, shopping malls should follow the following guidance:

  • All food and drink facilities on the premises of a shopping mall must follow the guidelines for the food and drink industry.
  • All retail shops on the premises of a shopping mall must follow guidelines for the retail industry.
  • All personal care services on the premises of a shopping mall must follow the guidelines for those services.
  • The total number of people within a mall shall at no time exceed 50% of fire occupancy requirements.
  • Cloth face coverings must be worn in accordance with the State of Emergency. It is the responsibility of the mall operator to ensure compliance from all customers inside of the mall.
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Commercial Office and Large Residential Buildings

Owners of buildings used for commercial, industrial or other enterprises, including but not limited to facilities for warehousing, manufacturing, commercial offices, airports, universities, colleges, and residential buildings with at least 50 units, shall adopt policies that, at minimum, implement the following cleaning protocols:

  • Clean and disinfect high-touch areas routinely in accordance with CDC guidelines, particularly in spaces that are accessible to staff, customers, tenants, or other individuals, and ensure cleaning procedures following a known or potential exposure in a facility are in compliance with CDC recommendations.
  • Otherwise maintain cleaning procedures in all other areas of the facility.
  • Ensure that the facility has a sufficient number of workers to perform the above protocols effectively and in a manner that ensures the safety of occupants, visitors, and workers.
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Realty

Realty includes the selling and long-term renting of houses, apartments, condominiums, store fronts, office spaces, and similar residential and commercial properties.

  • Open houses are permitted, provided, however, that when determining the number of persons who may attend an open house at one time, hosts should calculate useable capacity at thirty (30) square feet per person up to a maximum of 250 persons (including realtors and staff) as long as indoor gathering rules are followed.
  • All individuals must wear face coverings and be distanced by 6 feet.
  • Selling party must ensure the interior of the property is properly disinfected after each open house.
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Senior Centers

  • The total number of guests at any time shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of a facility’s stated fire occupancy requirements.
  • Must meet general responsibilities for all businesses.
  • Designate one member of staff as Pandemic Response Person, communicating and implementing COVID-19 mitigation efforts.
  • Facilities and programs are strongly encouraged to develop a plan to support contact tracing if a positive case is associated with the business location, including to request that customers provide contact information (name, email address, and telephone numbers) and to record the date of service.
  • Prior to beginning operations, develop a written plan to address all applicable guidance and restrictions for operation. The plan must be available upon request for review by DPH.
  • Plans should include new operations policies due to COVID-19.
  • Communicate new policies to participants before reopening.

Policies should include, but are not limited to

  • Operational policies to address social distancing, the number of participants attending at any one time, changes in programming, and communicating with participants.
  • Meal service policies that allow for social distancing, any changes in meal service such as how meals will be served, use of a reservation system, and how the senior center will manage meal service if it must serve fewer participants due to social distancing. Refer to FDA Best Practices guidance for reopening food establishments.
  • Sanitation and cleaning policies. Staff and participant testing policies.
  • Staff and participant screening policy – Routinely use the State of Delaware’s standardized health screening tool.
  • Masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirement policies.

Additional best practices can be found in the Department of Health and Social Services Guidance.

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The following industries are not permitted to open currently:

  • Sporting facilities and venues (professional and amateur), including but not limited to arcades, bowling alleys, indoor skating rinks (ice and non-ice), martial arts studios, dance studios, indoor tennis and similar indoor athletic facilities, unless they can create a facility- specific plan to observe the industry guidance provided herein for exercise facilities. Plans should be emailed to covid19faq@delaware.gov.
  • Indoor children’s play areas, including softscape or hardscape playground facilities, trampoline parks, and children’s museums, unless they can create a facility-specific plan to observe the industry guidance provided for indoor children’s play areas, including that the total number of guests permitted in a facility at any one time shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of that facility’s stated fire occupancy requirements. Plans should be emailed to covid19faq@delaware.gov. The responsibility for enforcing the occupancy requirement lies with the facility operator.
  • Water parks, unless they can create a facility-specific plan that explains how they will maintain social distancing between individuals who are not from the same household, how they will require the use of face coverings in their facilities, and how they will  regularly  clean surfaces. Plans should be emailed to covid19faq@delaware.gov. The total number of customers within a facility shall at no time exceed fifty percent (50%) of fire occupancy requirements (excluding staff). The responsibility for enforcing the occupancy requirement lies with the facility operator.

 

Required Signage

 

Download printable signs to post at your business.

Testing Guidance

Perform daily employee screening.

Outdoor Seating

 

Apply to your municipality for an expanded footprint.

Non-Compliance Concerns

 

Contact Public Health to report issues.




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